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Library selects new HQ site Medford block would serve various needs By DANI DODGE If Jackson County voters pass a $38.9 million library bond in May, a new library headquarters will take over an entire downtown block, replacing a used car lot and a business that buys blood. "I've talked to everyone who owns property on the block -- that's six different property owners," said Mary Curry, the president of the Jackson County Library Foundation. "No one has been hard to deal with at all -- they all realize the need for a bigger library." The county is in preliminary negotiations to purchase the property for the proposed library, bounded by South Central Avenue, East 10th Street, South Riverside Avenue and East Ninth Street. It currently houses NABI Biomedical plasma center, Guthrie Motors, Park Show and Sell, Beds for Less and a few smaller businesses. So far, though, news of the new location hasn't spread far beyond drawings at the library and postings on the library campaign's Web site. Two of three Jackson County commissioners contacted weren't aware of the proposed site. Still, they were pleased with the plan. "Certainly the library folks are acting in good judgment, because they know what they need," said Commissioner Ric Holt. A joint committee with representatives from the county, the Medford Urban Renewal Agency, the city of Medford, the library and the foundation made the decision to change location a few weeks ago, after examining three possible downtown sites. Previously, library officials had eyed the block where for many years McKenzie Outfitters was located -- a site bounded by Eighth and Ninth streets, Central Avenue and Front Street. But downtown merchants expressed concern that the library would gobble up valuable downtown parking, said Library director Ronnie Lee Budge. The new site would expand parking as well as offer more library space and easier access from different parts of the city, Budge said. "All things considered, it seemed to be a better site," she said. In the May 16 mail election, county voters will decide whether to finance a 20-year bond to build a new Jackson County library system headquarters, and either rebuild or expand all the branch libraries. White City is getting a new library with county Urban Renewal money, and Ashland voters already voted on a bond measure. If the library bond passes, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $31.50 more in annually in property taxes. The Jackson County Library Foundation is attempting to raise $2 million to help purchase library property. Various individuals and cities have donated land for the branch libraries. The Medford Urban Renewal Agency is contributing $9 million in street and parking improvements to help the project. And Rogue Community College will be paying rent at the new headquarters and will locate their library in the same building. All the fund raising and dreaming will be for naught, though, unless the ballot measure passes. And it can't pass unless at least 50 percent of the voters send in their ballots. So volunteers are gearing up to launch an all-out campaign beginning the day of the Pear Blossom Festival, April 8. So far, backers have collected more than $50,000 in campaign donations -- mostly in contributions of $50 or less. "We had over 1,100 people who have volunteered either time, money or lawn sign space," said Alison Rilling, who chairs The Campaign to Rebuild our Libraries. "By my calculations that's over 1 percent of registered voters." The campaigners plan to set up a booth at the Pear Blossom Festival and march in the parade. They will sell T-shirts and give away bumper stickers. After ballots go out April 28, volunteers will call voters and ask them to mail their ballots. "There will be at least 15 locations for phone banking and we expect several hundred people to be involved," Rilling said. Ashland Mayor Cathy Shaw will be one of the people in charge of the phone bank center in Ashland. She expects the same number of volunteers she marshalled in November 1999 when Ashland passed its own library bond. If the countywide ballot measure passes, it will lower taxes for Ashland residents because residents outside Ashland will also contribute to the Ashland expansion. "This is very simple for Ashland voters -- they get the same library they approved, but since it incorporates the county voters, the actual amount they pay goes down," Shaw said. For everyone else, it means taxes going up. Many in downtown Medford said it's a good investment. "It will be wonderful to have a library downtown," said Susan Prufer, owner of A Rug for All Reasons, and a board member of the Heart of Medford Association. Scott Rayburn, chair of the Jackson County Library Advisory Committee, said he's been working on a new Medford headquarters library to replace the 1912 Carnegie library for nine years. The new location is the best yet. He noted that by "co-locating" with Rogue Community College, the community will get maximum value out of the building. "It's a block away from the RVTD transit center," he noted, "has good access from east and west Medford and plenty of room for ample parking. "A wonderful library isn't too good if you can't get to it." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA